Reed Smith‘s practice spans transactional, regulatory, and litigation and dispute resolution disciplines. The firm focuses on client-specific solutions by drawing on the experience of its lawyers around the world.

Reed Smith represents many of the world's leading companies in high-stakes disputes, strategic transactions, and crucial regulatory matters, with an uncommon commitment to developing long-term client relationships by delivering quality service and value.

Community Access

With lawyers from coast-to-coast in the United States, as well as throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, Reed Smith is a leading international law firm. Each of our offices has a full understanding of, and appreciation for, local business culture and client needs.

Are you interested in speaking with a Reed Smith lawyer? Have questions about career opportunities? Want to explore shared social responsibility or community service efforts? Please reach out, and we'll be in touch with you.

Please visit our related sites for more information about employment opportunities with Reed Smith and to learn more about how our global perspective on client service is informed by our inclusive outlook.

Professional Admissions / Qualifications

Court Admissions

Joe is a partner in the global Entertainment & Media Industry Group and the Advertising Technology and Media Law practice within the practice group.

Joe has more than 37 years of legal experience and before entering private practice, Joe served as in-house lawyer for American Express for 17 years, including 4 years in Toronto as Vice President & General Counsel of Amex Canada. Joe is internationally recognized for his legal and policy acumen as a corporate-commercial lawyer, especially in the application of digital, mobile and innovative technology to business worldwide and the scope of his background and experience is extensive. The convergence of experience, skill and background place Joe at the forefront of lawyers experienced in such digital, mobile and innovative technologies, affording him the opportunity to work with global multinationals, as well as emerging growth companies.

Joe is a dynamic and thought provoking speaker at national, international and industry conferences and seminars. His extensive written work includes law journal articles (e.g., “Privacy on the Internet: Whose Information Is It Anyway?”), books (e.g., Outsourcing Agreements Line by Line), and numerous articles in the National Law Journal, New York Law Journal, Euromoney, Entertainment Law Review and many others. Joe has been interviewed or appeared as a commentator in respected media, including CNBC’s Squawkbox, CNNFinancial’s Business Unusual, Advertising Age, American Banker, BNA Bloomberg, National Public Radio, The Wall Street Journal Online, Forbes.com, CFO Magazine and MediaPost Online and his work has been cited by law reviews, industry periodicals and courts. Joe’s Legal Bytes, in print since 1996, became a blog (www.LegalBytes.com) in 2009 and continues to win praise for its entertaining and enlightening content and Joe also serves as the editor of the U.S. Media and Entertainment newsletter of the International Law Office.

The Legal 500 United States Edition and other independent services consistently honor Joe’s Advertising, Technology and Media law team at Reed Smith, citing skill in technology, telecoms, marketing and advertising, data protection and privacy. Joe is often referred to by name, “praised for ‘great work on a consistent basis’, singled out for being on the cutting edge and his “[group's] willingness to advise and share knowledge with the advertising community as a whole." The Legal 500 also praised the group’s ahead-of-the-curve engagements around online and social media, "on-line gaming, e-commerce, and behavioral advertising" and Joe is consistently in a select group recommended in the area of media, technology and telecoms - marketing and advertising. Joe has again been listed as a U.S. expert in the 2015 Guide to the World's Leading Technology, Media and Telecommunications Lawyers and as one of the New York’s Super Lawyers - a leader in Entertainment and Sports law.

Joe is outside General Counsel to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (as well as its Corporate Secretary & ex officio Board member) and serves on the Advisory Board of the Innovation Center for Law and Technology at New York Law School and Executive Committee of the Advisory Board of the Center for Law, Science and Innovation at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in Arizona. Joe has served as a Council member of the ABA Section of Science and Technology, a member of the National Conference of Lawyers and Scientists and Chair of the Award Selection Panel of the Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Joe works with industry groups, serves on boards and advises clients and their senior executives around the world.

Employment History

2001 - Reed Smith

1994 - Private practice

Specializing in complex and sophisticated international and domestic transactions, private mergers and acquisitions

1978 - American Express

Senior Counsel, reporting to the General Counsel, with a wide range of senior management and legal responsibilities in the U.S. and abroad, across the full range of American Express’ business. Spent four years on assignment in Toronto, Canada, as Vice President, General Counsel & Assistant Secretary of American Express Canada. Experience spanned the full range of American Express’ U.S. and International business, including cards (launch of Platinum Card and Optima credit card), travellers cheques, travel – airline, hotel and leisure and all aspects of travel-related businesses, publishing, Membership Rewards loyalty and merchandise services programs, international banking, to name the most notable. Senior technology and telecommunications lawyer, responsible for legal support to operations, security and risk management, trademark and brand management, as well as all aspects of procurement globally.

Attorney Advertising. This Web site may be considered advertising under the rules of some states. Prior results described on this site cannot and do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter that we or any lawyer may be retained to handle.